The theater produced by Uptown Players has always pulsed with a particular kind of energy that’s equal parts heart, wit, and daring. That pulse beats loud and clear in the Dallas theater company’s 2025-26 season, which promises a rich mix of irreverent comedy, powerful drama, and musical mayhem, all housed in the historic Kalita Humphreys Theater (with a stop at Theatre Three for good measure). Never content to play it safe, Uptown Players—Dallas’ premier LGBTQ+ theater—leans even deeper into bold storytelling, big personalities, and the complicated beauty of selecting those who deserve the honor of loving you, just as you are.
The company’s August co-production of IMAGINE will set exactly this tone. A first-ever collaboration between Uptown Players and Bruce Wood Dance Dallas, the show marries cabaret, contemporary movement, and live vocals into a celebratory and poignant evening. Set to songs like Elton John’s “Don’t Go Breakin’ My Heart” and John Lennon’s “Imagine,” the show will deliver a series of vignettes exploring love, self-discovery, and LGBTQ+ identity through an emotional blend of choreography and music.
“IMAGINE is about more than just music and movement—it’s a celebration of the diverse experiences that shape who we are,” says Joy Bollinger, BWDD’s artistic director. “We are thrilled to bring our artists together and create something that speaks to the heart of our community.”
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Clayton Younkin and Caddo Lindsey in the Uptown Players production of The Boys in the Band. Photo by Mike Morgan.
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The cast of the Uptown Players production of Jada Bells – A Holiday Extravaganza. Photo by Mike Morgan.
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The cast of the Uptown Players production of The Prom. Photo by Mike Morgan.
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Isaiah Christopher-Lord Harris, Matt Holmes, and Quintin Jones Jr. in the Uptown Players production of A Queer Carol. Photo by Mike Morgan.
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The 2025 cast of the Uptown Players production of Xanadu: The Musical. Photo by Mike Morgan.
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The 2025 cast of the Uptown Players production of Broadway Our Way. Photo by Mike Morgan.
That balance of joy and defiance continues through the lineup, beginning with a glitter-drenched world premiere. From Dec. 5-14, 2025, Star of Wonder: A Carol Ann Christmas brings Carol Ann Knipple back to the stage in all her chaotic holiday glory. After the melodramatic demise of her Melody Barn theater, she’s hitting Dallas with songs, sequins, and more theatrical flair than ever. Micah Green reprises the beloved role in what promises to be a raucous and heartfelt holiday tradition reborn.
The chaos of chosen family and queer friendship is at the core of Pure Glitter, a new play by Chicken & Biscuits playwright Douglas Lyons that’s making its Texas premiere March 20-29, 2026. When Jeff Rane, Uptown’s co-founder, caught an early reading in New York, he knew immediately the script belonged in Dallas. Set during a 10th anniversary celebration that slowly unravels into something deeper, the show explores queer joy, long-held secrets, and the bonds that hold people together, even when things get messy. “It’s about community deserving to be celebrated louder than ever,” says Lynch. Expect big laughs and even bigger heart.
The season’s annual spring fundraiser, Broadway Our Way, takes on the theme “Fractured Fairy Tales” April 30-May 3, 2026. But don’t expect glass slippers and happily-ever-afters. This version trades tradition for sass, subversion, and a whole lot of—you guessed it—glitter. Written and directed by B.J. Cleveland, the production lets rogue royals, misunderstood witches, and princes who prefer heels rewrite their own endings with showtunes and spectacle. It’s Uptown at its most playful, proving that sometimes the most magical stories are the ones we rewrite ourselves.
Closing out the season is Paula Vogel’s Mother Play, a powerful, semi-autobiographical drama exploring generational trauma, queerness, and survival. Set to run at Theatre Three Aug. 21-30, 2026, it’s a raw, intimate story that’s as unflinching as it is deeply human. It’s a striking counterpoint to the season’s more flamboyant fare, but one that resonates just as strongly.
And if the momentum for IMAGINE is any indication, audiences are eager for this kind of work: joyous, fearless, and unapologetically human. If there’s one thing Dallas theatergoers have learned, it’s that when Uptown steps into the spotlight, you don’t want to miss the show.
—LINDSEY WILSON